Heartbeat
by Kjpanny Kjchristie17
Summary: Random moments depicting the relationship between Fred and Hermione. A casual acquaintance which changed at midnight to an everlasting bond acknowledged at midnight. "Be still, my heart," Fred whispered. Hermione rolled her eyes, "If this is your pickup line, I've heard worse."
1. Midnight Rendezvous

**Midnight Rendezvous**

"Mum! Hey, Mum!"

Fred barged in through the kitchen door only to come face to face with a startled Hermione who was holding something to her chest, carefully.

"F-Fred!" She squeaked. Then realizing what she was holding, she quickly hid it behind her back. "It's two in the morning. Why are you shouting?"

"What are you doing here?" Fred raised a brow, dropping his duffel bag onto the floor where it landed with a thud.

"Um, sleepover?" Hermione offered, weakly.

"Oh." Her hair was tied in two pigtails and she was wearing a loose and long shirt which reached to her knees.

"Oi, isn't that mine?"

Now Hermione blushed. "I didn't have anything to change into and Ron' clothes smell. Sorry."

Fred blinked. She did look rather nice in it. All neat but rumpled and so deliciously sexy. The thought hit him not a minute too soon and he blanched. What was he doing thinking about his little brother's friend like that. He shook his head and asked, "Where's Mum?"

Hermione had started to retreat towards the stairs, her hands still behind her back. "Probably sleeping."

"Oh." He frowned. Then he took a deep breath and hollered, "MUM!"

"Fred!" Hermione looked horrified, "What is wrong with you? What's so important that you have to wake up at this time of night?"

The red haired boy, no, man, leaned against the pristine counter on his arm and studied her with those warm blue eyes, curiosity evident in them. "What are you hiding behind your back, Granger?"

"What? Nothing. I have to go."

She turned around and there was a loud crack and he was standing right in front of her, smiling pleasantly. "Come on. Let's see it."

"No, Fred! Stop it!"

He was trying to reach behind her and she kept retreating till her back hit the counter and she was forced to bend backwards with his tall frame leaning directly over her and his hands around her back.

"Let go!"

"No! What are you hiding? Show me! I want to see!"

Suddenly the lights flared on, "Honestly, what is all the -"

Mrs. Weasley froze at the sight she beheld and her face turned red as a tomato. Her husband was right behind her, yawning. His eyes widened as he saw the way his son and Hermione were positioned.

"Frederick!"

Before his wife could say another word, Mr. Weasley took her hand and started dragging her away.

"B-But!"

"Now now dear, you know what youngsters are like at that age and Hermione is such a responsible girl."

Hermione blinked and looked up into Fred's amused gaze. "Well, blimey, Hermione."

Before she could realize what had just happened, Fred had stolen her package and was studying it with confusion. It was a piece of cloth. Very soft, shimmery and lacy cloth.

He shook it to open it fully and his eyes nearly popped out.

"Give that back, Fred!"

Fred vaulted over the counter, using one hand as a strong hold and grinned, "Tsk Tsk, Hermione. Lingerie. Who is this for?"

She tried to grab it but he danced out of her reach, gleefully. "Tell me who it's for and I might give it back."

"Nobody!" She crossed her arms over her chest, blushing.

Fred looked at the black scrape of cloth in his hands. It looked so delicate. It could tear with a careless pull. In his mind, he saw some unnamed man tearing it from Hermione' body and his face turned red.

"Here."

He held it out to her and she snatched it, blushing fiercely. "Don't you dare tell anyone about this!"

He gave her a mocking sober look, "I would never."

She backed into the doorway, and said in a warning tone, "I mean it, Fred."

He crossed his finger over his heart dramatically, "I cross my heart and hope to.."

She growled at him and he threw his head back and laughed, utterly delighted.

She fled.

A.N: These are going to be a series of one shots, interconnecting somewhere and somehow. Have fun. I will be posting one chapter daily, cause it's short and light hearted fluff


	2. An Awkward Dinner

**An Awkward Dinner**

Dinner at the Weasley's had always been a loud and boisterous affair. But not today.

Mrs. Weasley had discreetly made Hermione get up from her seat between Harry and Ron and sent her to sit between the twins.

Everyone had been surprised when the plump matronly woman had shouted all of a sudden when Hermione had been in mid process of sitting, "NO! NOT THERE!"

Hermione's butt had been frozen mid air as Ron's mother gestured toward the twins, "Sit with Fred, dear."

"What?"

"Why?"

Harry and Ron could never be less than obvious.

Hermione locked eyes with Fred who looked confused and for a minute she didn't understand and then the memory of yesterday's incident came crashing back and her face turned red. It seemed Fred had also remembered and he looked highly entertained.

"This is your fault." Hermione hissed, as she stabbed at the meat loaf in her plate, rather viciously with her fork.

"Oh, how so?"

Fred grinned at her.

Imagining the vegetables were Fred's face, she slashed them with her knife, and bit out, "If you had just left me alone, none of this - Your mother thinks - Heaven knows what she thinks of me! She must think I'm some sort of tramp!"

The amusement slid off of Fred's face as he said in a low voice, "She doesn't think that of you. You know that."

Hermione turned her head to look at him for a few seconds before sighing and returning to her meal, "I know." Then she chopped her vegetables into tiny unrecognizable pieces, "This is still your fault."

Fred cheered silently. If his mother thought he and Hermione were involved, she'd get off his back about dating Carline Saltzwater, her friend's snobby daughter.

Unbeknownst to them, Mrs. Weasley was watching their interactions very closely. While she could not understand what they were saying, the fact that they were so deep in conversation and the soulful look that just passed between them made her feel strange.

"You worry too much, Molly."

She didn't even look at her husband as she replied absently, "They're so different."

Her husband nudged her, his eyes warm, "Different is good, no?"

As her eyes remained fixed on the two individuals, she started wondering if maybe Hermione _was_ what Fred needed all along.

"Stop it, Fred."

As Hermione turned to glare at him, George gave his brother a thumbs up and stole a big spoonful of Hermione's dessert.

Hermione was not called the smartest witch of her generation for no reason. No sooner than George had swallowed the creamy delight, his mouth turned bitter. He frowned and drank a glass of water. However, the bitter feeling in his mouth became worse. He drank more water.

He took a bit of his own dessert and the feeling intensified.

He made a face and his mother called him out, sternly, "Who are you making faces at, George? Show some manners for heaven's sake!"

Poor George looked so confused.

"Is everything okay George" Hermione asked, her eyes wide with concern. That concern morphed into a mixture of satisfaction and glee, "You look like you swallowed something bitter. Here," She held out her dessert, "Maybe something sweet will help."

George glared at her and tried to stomp on her foot. However, his heel landed on Fred's toe who howled, "Blimey, mate! What did I do?"

And just like that a quiet and strained dinner turned into chaos.

 **A.N: And here is part two. Have a blast.**


	3. Delivery Girl

**Delivery Girl**

"Hermione."

Hermione looked up from her book. She was curled up in an old comfortable armchair in the Weasley's living room. Both Ron and Harry had been pestering her to play Quidditch with them. When she had finally threatened to hex their brooms into books had they stopped, giving her offended looks.

Now she had the house to herself, well and Mrs. Weasley was here, with a strange gleam in her eye right now.

"Yes?"

The older woman moved forward and smiled, "Would you do me a favor, dear?"

Hermione closed her book with an internal sigh, "Yes, of course, Mrs. Weasley. What do you want me to do?"

"Would you be a dear and take these to Fred? He's been holed up in his shop all day and George tells me he's been so busy that he hasn't had time to have more than breakfast. So I whipped him up a little something."

She beamed at Hermione, "And I packed lunch for two so that you two can share it."

Hermione froze. _Oh, no._

"Really Mrs. Weasley, it's not what you think. Fred and I are -" She tried to explain, weakly, but was interrupted, "Nonsense, dear. I'm very happy for the two of you. I just think that you should have a little more control," Her disapproving tone changed instantly when she noticed the distress on the girl's face and spoke hastily, "Not that it is any of our business."

Hermione really wanted to cry.

She opened her mouth to say something, anything that would make Mrs. Weasley believe that there was nothing going on between her and Fred when his look alike strolled into the kitchen, holding a small tub and spoon.

He grinned at Hermione and then nudged her aside to sit in her seat, licking his spoon, unconcernedly.

"You'd better hurry, Hermione. Fred's waiting."

Hermione glared at him, "Why can't _you_ takeit? And if Fred is working so hard, why are you lazing off?"

Mrs. Weasley smiled with delight, "Oh look at you, so worried about Fred. Go on then. You guys take some time for yourselves." She pushed the packed lunch into Hermione's hands and bustled off into the kitchen.

"Oh, Fred. You're so dashing!" George spoke to the spoon and then started kissing its curved surface loudly.

"Pig."

George just waggled his eyebrows suggestively.

Hermione just glared at him and grabbed some floo powder.

Fred wasn't expecting a disgruntled Hermione to march in his store and give him a furious glare. He had been flipping through the magazine, idly. Business had been particularly slow today. And George had decided to take off to God knew where.

So when Hermione walked in with what looked like food, he was not sure whether to be happy for company or wary that he had a very _angry_ witch in his shop.

"Your mother thinks I'm a tramp."

"Hey, Granger."

"Your mother and _George,_ " Her lip curled up at his twin's name, "Sent you lunch and, apparently, me."

Fred scratched his head, "Well, I can eat the food but what am I supposed to do with you?"

Hermione blushed and spluttered.

Fred conjured up some plates and utensils and started dishing out food for himself, "Help yourself."

Grumbling under her breath, she filled up her plate and started poking at her food.

Fred grinned as he watched her attack her food. Bad tempered little kitten wasn't she.

"Stop staring at me."

Fred rested his chin in the palm f his hand and winked at her, "You're cute, Granger."

Hermione's head lifted, startled and her face turned red before she ducked down and dug into her food in silence, pointedly ignoring her.

However, the tips of her ears remained red.

Something Fred found very interesting.

A.N: The lack of reviews is a little disheartening. Or maybe I'm just down today because the weather is so weird.


	4. Surprise Meeting

**Surprise Meeting**

Hermione sat at the bar, nursing her drink which was not even worth sipping at this point. She looked at the butterbeer and thought about it cooling it again but then changed her mind. What was the point?

She looked gloomily into that golden liquid. She couldn't believe she had been stood up. Today of all days!

The lights in this place were dim and she didn't feel like going home just yet, so she ordered another drink. What the hell? She was going to live a little today.

Fred made a face at his brother who just shrugged.

This was the most boring date he had ever been on lately. Not that it was his date's fault. She was gorgeous and she kept trying to strike up a conversation with him. He just wasn't into it. A pair of annoyed brown eyes came to mind and his lips curved a little as he recalled Hermione's expression last week when he had hexed her hair red.

It had been particularly funny. Not to her. She had had him dodging spells as she swore she'd make him pay. His laughter had been his undoing. He had been laughing so hard that he had slipped and fallen and before he could get up, she had advanced on him and with a vicious smile and a triumphant gleam in those pretty brown eyes, she had turned his skin blue.

An impressive spell.

He really needed to learn that one.

He fiddled with his fork, giving a patient smile to his date. Her hair was blonde. He was more into brunettes these days. He sighed and absently twirled the fork in the air.

It hadn't been his fault. He had been so bored. And she had been right there. And she was already annoyed.

The little slip of clothing came to mind and he wondered for a minute how Hermione would look like in black. Lacy black.

He shook his head and stood up.

Ignoring his brother's concerned look, he smiled, a very very fake smile, "I need some air."

He walked out of the restaurant and leaned against the wall. Blimey, it was so suffocating inside.

His eyes fell on the O'Riley's Bar across the street and he found his feet taking him inside. A drink would help.

Leaning against the bar, he ordered a drink and then just as he was about to sit he heard a very familiar voice. His eyes widened.

"Another drink. And I want the big mug. The really really big mug."

His eyes fell on the most unexpected person. Wearing a short black dress that revealed curves he had never thought existed, hair tied in a messy bun and cheeks flushed, Hermione was arguing with the bar tender who kept insisting she should go home.

"Granger."

"What?! Oh, it's you. What do you want, Weasley?"

The snarl turned into an annoyed look.

Fred was torn between amusement and worry. She was completely and utterly smashed and she was so adorable in this state. She had never called him Weasley before.

The bar tender gave him a grateful look as Fred slid into the seat next to Hermione and grabbed her attention, "I think you've had quite enough."

"Not quite enough. I'm no lightweight!" She grinned and waved her fist in the air as if the thought cheered her up. She was so tipsy that she lost her balance and nearly slipped off the stool. Fred quickly steadied her, his arm going around her waist, swiftly.

Her face smashed against his chest and she giggled. "You're so warm," Came the muffled mumble.

"Yeah. Ahan," He pulled away from her, leaving his arm around her waist, "We should probably get you home, Granger."

"Nah. Nah. I can't. I have to stay. I want to stay." She nursed her empty glass.

"How long has she been here?"

The bar tender checked the clock, "Five hours, mate. Said she was waiting for someone. Bloke never showed."

"It was my birthday." Came a sad whisper. "Grove stood me up on my birthday."

Fred looked at the bent head and felt an unexplained wave of anger. Nobody should be treated like that on their birthday. _Especially not Hermione._

He didn't wonder where that thought came from. It was just there.

When he saw something wet drop on Hermione's hand, his anger grew. He glanced at the clock. Two hours to midnight.

A small smile formed on his lips as a plan started forming in that amazing brain of his.

"Hey, Granger."

She rubbed her eyes, spreading her mascara and looked up at him.

He leaned forward, caging her against the bar, "Want to come home with me?"

A.N: This is part one of a part 2.


	5. Birthday and Glitter

**Glitter and Cake**

"This dress is too tight." Hermione grumbled as she tugged at her V neck. The tugging allowed Fred a glimpse of her cleavage and he grit his teeth. This was not going as he had planned. Hermione had been easy enough to convince to come along with him but he had clearly not thought this through.

She was smashed and a drunk Hermione had no inhibitions.

She had groped his ass twice.

His cheeks were still flaming as he told himself sternly that this was his little brother's best friend.

He should have just taken her to her own apartment, but, he looked down at the girl tucked under his arm, she had been so miserable. He looked away as his chest did that funny thing it did whenever he was around Hermione lately. Sadness didn't suit her.

Neither, apparently, did drinking.

She was sitting on the ground now, legs tucked beneath her, twirling her wand, making glitter swirl around her and laughing. He wondered if he should point out that getting glitter out of her skin would be a very difficult task but she looked so utterly pleased with herself that he just found himself smiling.

What the heck.

As he made his own arrangements, a flash of black caught his eye. He whirled around and froze.

She had taken off her dress.

Clad in black undergarments, she was now drinking straight from a bottle of gin, her cheeks getting flushed, lost in her own world.

"Um, Granger?"

She didn't look at him.

"Hermione?"

Happy dazed brown eyes looked at him and he had to force himself to keep his eyes on her face, not her glittering body.

He coughed, "Your clothes."

"It's hot." Hermione stated, simply.

Had she been that hurt that she had drunk herself into this stupor? Fred wondered at that and growled at himself when his gaze started wandering.

He sighed when she started shooting glitter at his furniture. Time for a sobering spell. But first. Hermione would kill him if she came to her senses and realized she was naked and he had done nothing about it. So he did what any gentleman would do in this sort of situation. He took away her wand to prevent her from attacking him, tossed a blanket over her and cast a sobering spell.

And then he waited.

He didn't have to wait long.

A short scream made him blink and he grinned.

As he waved his wand to complete the rest of his plan, the blanket shuffled and a head popped out.

Hermione opened her mouth to say something, her cheeks red with embarrassment when her eyes fell on the cake and decorations and she froze.

She opened her mouth again. Closed it. Her throat tightened and her vision grew blurry.

"Happy Birthday, Granger," Fred grinned and shot off miniature fireworks in the room.

She sniffled and that grin slid off his face to be replaced by alarm. "What did I do? What's wrong?"

She couldn't get the words out of her mouth and she wailed, "I'm naked!"

Fred stared at her and then burst out into laughter.

"This is not funny, Fred!"

He roared as she got to her feet and looked around, "Where's my wand?"

He shook his head, smirking, "I am anything but stupid, Granger. You'll hex me."

"No, I won't."

"You're lying." He snorted.

She stared at him and he could see the wheels in her head turning as she tried to come up with a way to hurt him.

"I didn't make you take off your dress." He pointed out.

"You did nothing to stop it."

He leaned against the kitchen door jamb, arms crossed against his chest, a lazy smile on his lips, "Now why would I do that, Hermione?" For no reason other than to provoke her, he ran his eyes down her frame covered in the blanket and delighted in the blush that covered her face.

"Where's my dress?"

He discreetly flicked his wand and vanished the tiny slip of cloth that she was calling a dress. Looking amused as she stood up, dragging the blanket with her, looking for her dress.

As she shot him a furious look he called out when she moved into the direction of the bedroom, "You could wear one of my shirts, Granger." He waggled his eyebrows at her as he followed her into his bedroom, "You'd look real nice in it."

She blushed again.

He found that he liked this new game of making Hermione Granger blush.

One hand keeping the blanket in place, the other rifled through his wardrobe as she muttered under her breath.

"Wear that black one, Granger."

She didn't want to wear it just because he had told her to wear it. But as she inspected the hirt he had suggested, she realized it was a button down and long enough to cover her legs, well, most of them anyway.

"Get out." She snapped.

Fred shrugged, a small smile playing on his lips, "Nothing I haven't seen bef- OOomph!"

He dodged the next shoe and rushed out of the room.

She exited his room seconds later, wearing his shirt, her hair rumpled, looking like she had just gotten out of bed. He stared at her in his shirt, feeling a bit strange. A fierce emotion hit him in the chest as he saw that the sleeves were too long. He got up and walked towards her, watching as her eyes widened in apprehension and wariness. She looked positively tiny in his shirt.

His voice was uncharacteristically low as he stood in front of her and rolled up her sleeve, one by one, his words teasing and yet so very intimate, "My shirts are too big on you. Let me help." She didn't say anything her eyes fixated on his hands as they gently adjusted her clothing. When he was done, he didn't move.

Neither did she.

"I -"

"Your cake." Fred's voice was rough, "Let's cut your cake. Before the clock strikes twelve."

She nodded and he sat a little closer to her than usual and she didn't comment. As she sliced the cake and he cheered, she blushed and turned to feed him a slice as was custom. His hand, clasped over hers gently as he guided it to his lips and his eyes met hers as he ate the cake.

She froze.

Those blue eyes didn't leave hers, no mischief in them, just a strange sort of awareness.

He leaned forward, "Hermi-"

The door banged open and George rushed in, "Fred, what the -"

He paused, his eyes taking in the scene. A glittering Hermione, her hand, held by Fred's, holding cake to Fred's lips. Their intimate position, with Fred's hand on her thigh and her lack of appropriate clothing.

"Oh-ho ho ho. So Mum was right!"

"This isn't what it - I mean - Fred tell him!"

Fred just looked shocked. What had he been about to do? This was his brother's best friend! And yet, she looked right. It felt right.

He stood up and ignored his brother's amused look, and stuffed his hands into his pockets, defensively, "We were celebrating Hermione's birthday."

"Do you need me to leave so that you two can continue 'celebrating'?"

Hermione glared at George, "Give me my wand, Fred. Let me hex him."

"Now now, Granger. Is that really necessary?"

George's taunting tone made her see red, "Forget the wand."

She tackled George who was laughing as he tried to fend off the one hundred and ten pounds of female.

Fred thought about intervening and then decided his twin probably deserved it and sat down to polish off the cake.

A.N: Late, I know.


	6. Walk of Shame

George didn't waste any time, apparently.

By mid morning, the entire family had heard of how Fred and Hermione had kissed on Hermione's birthday while she was wearing his shirt, sitting in his lap, in his apartment.

" _We did not kiss!"_ Hermione's wailed miserably as she sat in the Weasley's kitchen, her head buried in her arms. Harry and Ron regarded her from across the table.

"You can tell us anything-" Harry was cut off from his reasonable speech as he ducked to avoid the plate that came flying his way.

"Gee, 'Mione. That was Mum's favorite set." Ron's eyes were wide.

" _Reparo."_ Hermione flicked her wand, miserably. "This is a mess."

"Yeah, it is." Her red haired friend nodded, agreeably, "But you fixed it fine."

"She's talking about her thing with Fred, you gnat."

" _It is not a thing! Fred and I do not have a thing!"_

"Well, I'm sorry to hear that, Granger." A new voice inserted itself into the conversation.

Hermione groaned but looked around to see Fred's voice sticking out from the fireplace as he grinned cheerfully, "Hey, ronnikins. Harry. Either of you seen Mum?"

Harry shook his head whilst Ron scowled at that old nickname.

Fred frowned, "Could you tell her to send me those red boxes I gave her? I need them urgent." He paused for a second as if hearing something and then turned his head and shouted into the fire, "NOT THE BLUE ONE, YOU BLITHERING IDIOT!"

All three occupants of the room raised a brow at the language and Fred rolled his eyes, "New assistant. He's stupider than Valerie and that's saying something. So, anyways, give my message to Mum and," He winked, "Don't harass Hermione too much, okay. She's just shy."

He pulled his head back, laughing at the outraged expression on Hermione's face.

"Nothing to tell us, eh Hermione?"

Harry and Ron's triumphant expressions made her want to smack them both.

This was just ridiculous.

A.N: Some will be short. Some will be long. This one was short.


	7. Denial

"Fred!"

George's voice right next to his ear had Fred wincing, "Take it easy. Shit."

His twin looked unrepentant. He gave Fred a vaguely annoyed look, "Where is your head these days? Something on your mind?"

Fred made a face but chose not to say anything. Nothing made the devil come out in George than his twin's attempt to keep a secret.

"Spill."

Fred shrugged, "It's nothing important."

"Ha! I'll be the judge of that." He seated himself on the windowsill, crossing his legs, making himself comfortable.

"Do you have to be such an arse?"

"Is that a question or a statement?"

Fred pushed him with his foot, "Sod off."

George made a dreamy face, focusing his eyes on something in the distance, "I see – There is a girl." He squinted his eyes, and spoke in an exaggerated hushed whisper, "Long hair. Brown. Is it brown? Yes."

"Stop being such a bloody tosser."

George gave his annoyed twin an expectant look, grinning. Fred stared at him and then pushed him off his seat, a smile forming on lips.

"Is this about that bloke she's going out with?"

"She's not going out with him." Fred denied, heatedly.

"You mean you don't want her to."

"That's not what I said."

"You don't have to say it, Gred."

Fred was quiet for a few seconds, "She's Ron's friend." He looked uneasy, "I'm just concerned for her."

George didn't say anything and Fred spoke defensively, "He's not right for her. He's a bloody wanker. Who stands a girl up on her birthday?"

George wanted to grin but restrained himself. So something _was_ going on here. His mother was going to have a field day with this. She had already been trying to push these two together.

"Bloody wanker."

"Exactly. What she sees in him, I don't understand."

"Well he is rich and good looking." George offered.

His twin glared at him, "Hermione isn't like that. She doesn't care about money."

George looked thoughtful, "True. Maybe it's his looks."

Fred scowled and stared at his reflection in the mirror. George bit his tongue to stop himself from snickering.

He leaned back and adjusted himself. In a drawling tone that would have made Draco's father proud, he asked, "As long as we're on the subject, who do you think would best suit Granger?"

When Fred shot him a suspicious look, he hastily improvised his statement, "I mean, she's so serious all the time, this bloke might be –"

"He can't make her laugh. She needs somebody who can make her laugh and he is as boring as a rock."

George stared at him, "That's a pretty strong statement, considering you've never met him."

Fred looked uncomfortable and refused to meet George's gaze, "He has to be. Who wears a suit all day?"

"Definitely not you." George murmured under his breath. He had tried his hardest o make Fred wear one but his twin liked his comfort too much.

"He seems like someone who would take advantage of a drunk girl." Fred growled, darkly.

George grinned, "Well we don't have to worry about that. Hermione rarely drinks."

Fred looked worried, "But when she does, she goes all out."

He stood up, abruptly, "I have to go."

George blinked, "What? Whe-"

Fred did not stay to listen. He was already gone."

George stared at the empty spot for a few seconds before biting his lip. He looked around for the floo powder and made quick haste.

Exiting the fireplace, he called out, "Mum! You will not believe this."


	8. Broken Heart

"Granger."

Silence.

"Hermione."

Fred growled when he was very pointedly ignored as the brown haired girl viciously lathered butter on her toast. For a moment he wanted to remind her that she hated butter and toast as breakfast but he had a feeling that she might very well cast the _Crucio_ on him and the thought had him holding his tongue.

However, she was adamant on ignoring him. And Fred Wesley did not like being ignored.

Murmuring something under his breath, he focused his wand on the butter and made it slide away every time Hermione put out her knife.

He gave her a charming smile when she glared at him.

When she put out her knife again and the butter danced away, she dropped the knife with a loud clutter onto the polished table, and pulled out her wand, pointing it at him, "Sod off, _Weasley_."

Her nasty tone had him wincing, "That hurts."

Her eyes were furious and had he been a cautious male, he would have backed off and let her calm down before approaching her. But Fred Weasley was not a cautious man. That word did not exist in his vocabulary.

So when Hermione got off the stool and started advancing towards him, he just raised his hands in a defensive but affable stance, "I was only trying to help."

"Help? _Help_?!" The last word was more of a shriek. "How does cursing my boyfriend, helping me?"

"He was-"

"SHUT UP, FRED!" Her roar had him stepping back. Hermione's face was red as she tried to control her temper.

"HE- BECAUSE OF –" She deflated, shoulders slumping, as her voice broke, her anger draining out of her, "Because of you, he broke up with me."

The hand holding the wand trembled, and she fixed her eyes onto the floor, "This was my first serious relationship and you just –"

She took a deep breath and then with a loud crack, she was gone.

Fred blinked.

Had he just made Hermione cry?

He swallowed as his chest burned. He hadn't meant to hurt her but she deserved so much better than the douchebag she had been dating.

Did he mean that much to her that she would shed tears over him?

Fred found that he didn't quite like that. But now she was crying and it was all his fault.

The silence didn't last long as a soft voice spoke his name.

Ginny stared at her brother, having never seem that expression on his face.

He sent a tired, crooked smile her way, "You heard, huh?"

When she didn't say anything, he put his arms on the table and buried his face in them, his muffled voice coming out, "I really was trying to help."

Ginny stepped into the room and took the seat that Hermione had just vacated. "Don't feel bad."

Blue eyes watched her and she noted the misery in them. She didn't know what was going on in Fred's head but her brother anything but malicious. So if he said he was trying to help, that had to be true.

Sometimes she wondered why all of her brothers were so dense though.

She picked up the toast Hermione had discarded and bit in. After slowly chewing, she casually mentioned, "Grove wasn't right for her anyway."

When Fred blinked, she continued, "He wasn't serious about her but she didn't know that and she wanted a long term relationship. She's lonely even though she doesn't show it, you know."

"I-"

Ginny interrupted him, raising a brow, "I don't know what you want with Hermione, Fred, but she's like a sister to me, so you can't hurt her. Ever."

"I just made her cry."

His sister made a careless gesture, "She'll get over it. She got a little overwhelmed by all the attention he showered over her. Once she can think clearly, she won't be mad at you anymore."

Fred wondered.

"Do you like her?"

Not this again.

To avoid the same conversation he had just had a day ago with George, he immediately stood up and leaned down to kiss his sister's cheek, "Good talk, Gin."

As he made his way out, she called after him, "If you want her, then you'd better do something about it, Fred. Otherwise, you'll just have to watch some guy…"

Fred apparated out of there, but Ginny's words resounded in his head for the rest of the afternoon and for the first time he asked himself whether he wanted Granger in his life.


	9. Avoidance

Avoiding Hermione wasn't difficult in the following weeks as she made herself very scarce. However, Fred had not been expecting to hear that she had been avoiding her best friends as well.

"Didn't you two go to her apartment?"

Harry and Ron glanced at each other before replying, "Well yeah. But she won't let us in."

"You should have forced yourself in? Did you even try apparating inside her place?"

Ron blinked, "Do we look crazy, mate? She'd hex us into the next century."

Fred wondered how he could have such a moron for a sibling.

Shrugging on his coat, he shook his head, "And you two call yourselves Gryffindors."

It seemed that he would have to look into Hermione himself.

Pausing at her door, he took a deep breath. He still didn't have the answer to the question that had been dominating his mind for the past few weeks. He had wanted to know his own intentions before seeing her again. But it seemed nothing was going his way.

Raising his hand to knock, he froze when he heard a soft whimpering from inside the apartment.

Imagining every worst scenario possible, he banged on the door, "Hermione, open up!"

When his call remained unanswered, he grew worried, "Damn it, Granger! If you don't open the –"

A clicking noise and the door opened to a disgruntled Hermione who looked like she had just gotten out of bed. Her hair was everywhere, her eyes sleepy but annoyed, and she was barely clad in shorts and a familiar black shirt.

One look at her grumpy face, and Fred Wesley got the answer to his question.

He was irrevocably in love with Hermione Granger.

So he obeyed his instincts.

And kissed her.


	10. Reinforcement

"You're wearing my shirt."

"Shut up." With an afterthought, "And stop smirking. I meant to return it."

Fred whistled, "Nice place."

"I didn't invite you in, Fred. Sod off." Hermione grit her teeth.

"We just made out. That's as good as an invitation."

" _You_ kissed me! -"

Fred gave the red faced girl a pointed look, "And you kissed me back."

Hermione spluttered, "I was taken by surprise."

Fred raised a brow, "Then maybe I should kiss you again."

Hermione's eyes widened, and she backed away immediately, only for Fred to laugh, "Just kidding."

The girl frowned, 'Why are you here and why are you kissing me?"

Fred looked through the various photographs Hermione had put up and answered, "I'm here because II was worried about you. " He glanced at her, "And I kissed you because it seems I have a thing for you, Granger."

Hermione blinked, "What thing?"

Fred cocked his head and murmured, "Maybe I wasn't clear enough."

He made his way towards her, his eyes intent, pushing aside the chair that was between them. Hermione tried to escape, but one firm hand on her neck and he pulled her toward him, explaining 'the thing'.

It was a few minutes later when he released her, a smug look on his face when he noted her dazed expression.

"You definitely kissed me back."

Hermione groaned.


	11. Chapter 11

**Declaration**

Hermione peeked in from the doorway.

The room was empty.

Gritting her teeth, she gathered her courage and releasing a breath, she ran towards the kitchen door, only to freeze in shock when she bumped into an invisible someone just in front of the door.

"Going somewhere, Granger?"

Two invisible arms wrapped themselves around her waist and her back was pressed against a masculine chest. Hermione made a face.

"I was just going to get some fresh air. And why are you hiding under Harry's cloak?"

She could practically feel him grinning, "I knew you'd make a run for it."

Hermione mentally judged where his foot would be and stepped down hard, making him yelp and release her. Swirling around, she grabbed the edge of the cloak she had felt and pulled it off with a dramatic flair.

Fred was kneeling down, holding his foot. He gave her an evil look that promised retribution and she raised a brow.

"You're stalking me."

"Am not!"

"Liar."

"Well, you've been avoiding me. Don't think I don't know that."

Hermione shrugged, "I haven't really been hiding that fact."

"I'm a Weasley, Hermione. I will track you down to the ends of the earth if I have to."

"You mean you'll stalk me to the ends of the earth. "

"Details."

Hermione glared at him whilst Fred smiled pleasantly.

"I am not going to say yes."

"I can be very convincing, Granger."

The brown haired girl raised her chin, defiantly, "I would like to see you try. And fail."

With that, she turned on the spot and was gone.

Fred stared at the empty spot for a few minutes before grinning.

 _Well, he did love a good chase._

 **A.N: She likes him.**


	12. Peeking

**PEEKING**

"FRED WEASLEY! COME OUT RIGHT THIS INSTANT."

Fred **'s** head shot up and he inched away from the breakfast table, a guilty expression on his face. Ron looked up from his eggs, "Where you going, mate?"

"Better yet, what did you _do?"_

Fred glared at his twin who smiled back at him pleasantly. On hearing the sound of somebody stomping through the rooms, Fred looked around harried, searching for something.

" _Accio wand!"_

Fred made a grab for his wand as it flew from the table to a very irate girl's hand. George picked up his plate and started piling up his plate with his twin's unfinished breakfast, "Guess you won't be needing this anymore."

"Hermione, dear!"

Mrs. Weasley bustled into the room and flew another plate onto the table, "Have some breakfast. Sit next to Fred."

Hermione's eyes did not leave Fred's face as she grit her teeth, "No thanks, Mrs. Weasley. I just _ate."_

Fred flinched, "I can explain, Granger."

" _Ohoho, you are going to do a lot more than just explain."_

Mrs. Weasley looked at the two of them, and then scowled at her son, "What did you do Frederick?!"

"Not now, Mum." Fred tried to avoid the angry witch standing a few feet away from him, but he had no opening through which to escape. Hermione had his wand.

"What did he do, dear?"

Hermione's face turned red. She pointed her wand at Fred and mumbled something.

"I told you it was an accident, Granger!"

"Three times! You did it three times!"

Sounds of the door opening and someone banging into the furniture stole everyone's attention and they watched as Harry stumbled into the room. He put his hands on his knees and gasped for breath. "D-Don't kill him, Hermione."

Ron looked at his best friend, "What happened to you?"

"She hexed me."

Ron looked warily at Hermione, before turning to the panting Harry, "Blimey mate, what did _you_ do?"

"I saw her in –" Harry's face turned red and he spoke something under his breath. When Hermione glowered at him, he put up his hands, "You knew I was out there. It wasn't deliberate!"

"Wait – what!?" Fred' glared at Harry, "You saw her naked?" He stalked towards Hermione, "Give me my wand, Granger. I need to take away his memory."

"YOU APPARATED IN MY BATHROOM! THREE TIMES! WHILE I WAS IN THE SHOWER! GIVE ME ONE GOOD REASON, WEASLEY, NOT TO TURN YOU INTO A TOAD!"

"Frederick!" Her mother's horrified exclaim made Fred protest, "It was an accident!"

"Mate, how do you apparate by accident and even that in _Hermione's_ shower?"

Fred cast a blistering look at his younger brother. Then he leaned back and grabbing George's wand which was sticking out of his pocket, and grinned at Hermione, "You have nothing to be ashamed of Granger. You looked stunning."

With that he flicked the wand and apparated out of the kitchen barely missing the curse Hermione threw his way as she howled in fury.

A.N: Long time, huh?


	13. Competition

Getting Rid of the Competition

"It's just one date, Granger."

"No."

"Come on. You know you want to."

Hermione glared at Fred, "Is this what you called me over for? This doesn't look like a life and death situation."

Fred gave her his most charming smile, "I will die if you don't go out with me."

"Hah. I'd like to see that happen."

Fred leaned on one arm on the counter, the other playing with on brown strand of hair. He grinned at her, "How do you know you'd hate a date with me when you've never even been on one?"

Hermione stole that strand of hair back and tucked it behind her ear. It was lunch hour and there were only a few customers milling about. So Fred had plenty of time to flirt and win Hermione over. The irate witch wasn't showing any signs of leaving any time soon as well.

At first he had thought that she was simply playing hard to get till he realized that something was off with the way she kept turning him down. However, trying to get her to say yes was turning into a challenging game and Fred Weasley loved a good challenge.

Hermione took another peanut from the bowl he had very strategically placed in front of her, exploiting her weakness. As she poked around in the bowl for a salted peanut, she didn't realize that the strand of hair had escaped from behind her ear and was once again in the possession of her companion.

"I don't trust you."

"No pranks, I swear."

Hermione scowled, "That's what you said when we were at Harry's birthday party. I still check my head for those bunny ears."

Fred laughed, "You looked very cute in them."

Hermione blushed, and blustered, "Now look here –"

The sound of the door chime distracted her and they both looked at the new customer.

A blonde entered the shop, her makeup on spot and a tiny black dress on. The dress clung to her in all the right places and at all the right curves. She looked more like a model and for a moment Hermione felt very shabby compared to her. Her heels clicked on the floor imposingly and she reminded Hermione of her neighbor who had a very bad reputation in the muggle world.

The girl looked around disdainfully and when her eyes fell on Fred, she smiled. It looked more like a Shark's smile in Hermione's opinion. Was everything supposed to move when she walked? She didn't realize she had voiced the question aloud till she heard Fred laugh under his breath.

"I wouldn't mind you in that dress." His murmured comment had her face turning red and she pinched his wrist making him yelp.

"Fred!"

Fred's greeting seemed more forced but maybe Hermione was imagining things.

"Carline. What can I do for you?"

The blonde snapped her fingers and a house elf appeared carrying a dozen bags in his tiny arms. "Take these to the house." The elf tried his best to bow and ended up tripping face first onto the ground spilling the bags."

"You stupid creature! Can't you do anything right?!"

She raised the umbrella in her hand and then paused and glared, "If it wasn't for that stupid regulation protecting these things, I would have knocked some sense into him long ago."

Hermione made a sound as the elf tried to gather the bags again and she knelt down, picking up the ridiculous amounts of clothing that had fallen out.

"I suppose you are one of those little elf lovers?" Carline spoke sarcastically at Hermione's bent head. Fred frowned at that tone but before he could say anything, Hermione straightened up and looked the girl in the eye and said evenly, "I am the elf lover who created that 'stupid regulation'."

Carline looked Hermione up and down and sneered, "Of course you are." Flipping her hair, she turned around and faced Fred whose face was anything but friendly at the moment.

"Fred, darling, you really need to teach your help some manners and dress them properly."

Hermione raised a brow, murmuring, "At least _I'm_ wearing something."

Carline ignored her and gave her a dismissive glance, "Don't you have something else to do?" Then she turned her attention back to Fred, and batted her eyelashes, "I'm ready for our date. It really has been so long since we last –" she licked her lips suggestively.

Fred froze and his eyes flew to the girl he was in love with. Hermione showed no reaction, studying the two of them almost dispassionately. For the first time, a sense of hopelessness filled him. Did she really not care at all? How could he get her to realize that he was serious? That he did love her.

And then Hermione did the most incredulous thing. She smiled. A cheerful smile which was not a Hermione smile. She leaned forward and grabbing Fred's loose tie, she yanked him forward, and kissed him straight on the mouth.

Fred froze for a second and then swooped in to take control of the kiss, dominating it. However, Hermione was having none of that. She immediately pulled back and smiled as if completely satisfied. A smug look on her face, she grabbed her bag and as she turned to look at him, she wanted to laugh. Fred looked completely smitten. He had a dazed look on his face. Blowing him a kiss which was completely uncharacteristic of her, she walked out and called out before departing, "Pick me up at 7."

Carline didn't need to know that Mrs. Weasley had invited the entire family for dinner at seven.

Fred stared at her back as she walked out and saw himself in the mirror. His sleeves half rolled up till his elbows, his hand was in his hair, a frustrated look on his face.

A shrill voice demanding his attention made him wince.

Time to take care of this. He smiled to himself. Now he knew that even calm and collected Hermione could get jealous. Delighted with this titbit of knowledge, he tucked it away or future use and smiled patiently at Carline as she started yelling.

A.N: Things are getting interesting.


	14. Chapter 14

Hermione would not look at him from across the dinner table.

A thin, finely manicured hand was wrapped in a possessive hold on his bicep and Fred could not help but wince at the sharp red of those nails.

He glanced towards the girl he was more than half in love with and felt something n his chest clench when her face remained blank.

George sat next to her, his arm over her chair, showing her one of their new inventions, where the Pygmy Puff was fluttering in the air, trying to maintain its balance. It's round, and furry body, barely the size of Fred's palm, lost its balance against gravity and pummelled down before Hermione caught it.

It curled up in the palm of her hand, clearly exhausted, and rubbed its fur covered cheek against one of her fingers, as she petted it.

George glanced over at his twin and saw the way his other half was staring at the brown haired girl and he could not help but grin.

Carline had invited herself over for the dinner party and Mrs. Weasley had told Fred to pick her up. So, when forced to obey his mother, Fred had unwittingly stood up Hermione, who had showed up later on in the evening, and apologized to Mrs. Weasley, stating a work emergency as an excuse.

And it did look like she had just come from work.

Her eyes had been tired and smudged ink had been evident on her white shirt which was wrinkled. However, there was something different about her. When Carline had made a snide comment about her being stood up, the witch had just blinked, as if she had not been bothered in the slightest. As if, it hadn't sliced at her heart when Fred had so obviously made his choice.

So, this is what it felt like to have her heartbroken, Hermione mused, as she sipped at a glass of red wine, half listening to George talk animatedly about this new experiment he was conducting. God bless his kind heart. He had seen right through her façade and had glued himself to her side for the entire evening.

Carline had changed into a deep cut red dress and her blonde hair had been curled to perfection. The woman was smart. Her cleavage might have been on display, but the length of the dress was long. She knew Mrs. Weasley's preferences and had planned to win over the older woman.

Hermione found a sliver of amusement creep up in her heart. The blonde's smirks towards her might have made her wine taste a little bitter, but Hermione had never ever tried to win Mrs. Weasley over. The matronly woman loved her whole heartedly and had she known what Carline was up to, she would not have tolerated it.

But Carline was the daughter of one of her closest friends. It did surprise her that Fred had shifted his attention away from Hermione, but she didn't understand what was going on. Maybe, her son and Hermione were in the middle of a tiff?

Hermione glanced at the Pygmy Puff, now curled up on her shoulder and from the corner of her eyes, she saw Carline lower her hand into Fred's lap. Something inside of her curled and she felt sick.

Standing up, she smiled at George, "I need some fresh air."

The concern in George's eyes made her stomach twist even more, but that easy smile remained on her lips. She knew how to handle rejection and humiliation. God knows she had handled it most of her life.

The knowing smirk on Carline's lips made Hermione's hand tighten on the wine glass she held and she gently put it down on the table, looking around the table at the faces of her friends who looked worried.

Hermione had never looked this exhausted.

"Is everything okay at work, Hermione?" Harry asked, his arm flung over the back of Ginny's chair, his brow knitted together.

Work. She could use that as an excuse to leave. But she wasn't a coward. She had faced worse people than Carline.

"Some documentation got mixed up in the department. It's going to take a few days of sorting out, but someone in the Treasury department cancelled the funding for the program I'm working on. I might need to get back to that in a while."

This wasn't a lie.

This was a serious issue going on in her department.

Ron grinned at her, "And if you don't work yourself to the bone, you're not going to be you."

Hermione frowned at him, "If you've got son much time on your hands, you two could lend a hand."

Both her best friends immediately looked away and the witch could not help but shake her head in exasperation, "Useless. That's what you are."

Turning around, she starting walking out to the cheerful replies of "We love you too, Hermione."

Fred was uncharacteristically silent as he watched her leave and as soon as she was out the door, everyone's eyes turned to him, and the accusing looks had him feeling guilty. But family affairs were never discussed in front of strangers, and that was what Carline was.

"Oh, thank God, she left. She's so _boring_. I don't know how you ever tolerated her, Freddy." The whiny voice next to him, complained. Her hand trailed suggestively over his chest and she smiled, her lips red as blood curving in a sultry smile.

"Hey! Hermione is not boring!" Ron growled, offended.

"Yeah!" Harry chimed in, looking equally annoyed.

Mrs. Weasley looked disapprovingly at her friend's daughter, "That's a very rude thing to say, Carline. Hermione is one of the family. And she's a wonderful person."

Carline pouted sulkily at being reprimanded and then fluttered her eyelashes innocently, "Well, if she was so wonderful, Fred would not have stood her up today. After all," She smiled, her fingers unbuttoning the top button of Fred's shirt, "He picked me up at seven today, and not her."

Incredulous eyes turned towards Fred as Mrs. Weasley realized she had just made a huge err in judgement.

However, she did not have the chance to say anything because her son exploded. Pushing back his chair, a scowl on his face, Fred glared at the female who had been trying to drape herself over him, and opened his mouth to say something.

But the emotions inside of him were in turmoil.

He scowled at his mother and muttered, "Excuse me," as he left, following Hermione.

The cold air outside was like a harsh slap to reality and Fred groaned. His mother had been in such an excited panic that her goddaughter finally wanted to attend one of her dinners that she had threatened him into bringing her.

"Hermione will understand." She had assured him. "You just make sure to stick close to Carline's side. She's very shy. And she likes you."

But he liked Hermione and he was very much afraid he had just blown his chances with Hermione. When she had walked in, and her eyes had seen Carline wrapped all around him, he had seen an expression in her eyes that he had never realized would cut him so much. _Bitter acceptance and resignation. Hurt_. And worst of all, _self loathing_.

But then, the expression had vanished as she brushed by him without even a greeting, and had moved on to greet everyone.

He had tried to get her alone but Carline wouldn't leave him alone for even a second.

What would she be thinking?

The stricken look in Hermione's eyes had gutted him. And when she had walked out, he had sensed the truth under her half lies.

She didn't want to be humiliated any further.

Oh God, how was he going to fix this now?


End file.
